Actuating mechanism for multiple-block printing heads



1929- H. A. WEBSTER 1,737,817

ACTUATING IECHANISM FOR MULTIPLE BLOCK PRINTING HEADS Dec. 3, 1929. H. A. WEBSTER ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR MULTIPLE BLOCK PRINTING HEADS Filed May 18, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ENTO:

Dec. 3, 1929. H. A. WEBSTER 1,737,817

ACTUATING KEGHANISM FOR MULTIPLE BLOCK PRINTING HEILDS Fi ed May 18, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet I5 Dec. 3, 1929. H. A. WEBSTER 1,737,317

ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR MULTIPLE BLOCK PRINTING HEADS Filed May 18, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Dec. 3, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HARRY A. WEBSTER, OF LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T ARMSTRONG CORK COMPANY, OF LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR MULTIPLE-BLOCK PRINTING HEADS Application filed May 18, 1928.

This invention relates to the art of printing, and more particularly, to a printing machine of the block type used in the printing of linoleum and other floor coverings, and

applies particularly to block printing machines of the type wherein each printing head carries a plurality of independently movable printing blocks.

In the application of WVilliam Penn Brinton, Serial Number 247,319, filed January 17, 1928, there is disclosed a block type printing machine wherein one or more of the vertically reciprocable printing heads is provided with two or more independently movable printing blocks. The present invention is for a mechanical actuating mechanism for efiecting the necessary relative movement between the independent blocks carried on a given head.

The invention has for its object to provide an actuating mechanism of this kind characterized by the fact that the operation of the independently movable blocks is effected by the vertical reciprocation of the printing head. A further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism of this kind which is of relatively simple construction, positive in its operation, and which, if desired, may be more or less selective in its operation.

The invention may be readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 represents an end elevation of a single unit of the ordinary reciprocating head printing machine having independently movable blocks thereon and having an ac tuating mechanism embodying the present invention applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of one end of the printing head having my invention applied thereto, the bed of the printing machine being shown in section, Figure 2 being on a larger scale than Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an end view of the printing head in its uppermost position; and

Figure 4 is a similar view of the printing head in its lowermost position.

Referring to the drawings, 2 designates the frame of a printing machine having a bed 3 thereon, over which the material to be printed, and designated A, is intermit- Serial No. 278,811.

tently moved. Guided in a suitable guideway 4 at each side of the machine is a vertically reciprocable post 6. To the upper ends of the post 6 is secured a printing head 7 embodying the principle disclosed in said application of William Penn Brinton.

The printing head is shown as being comprised of spaced apart I beams 8. Depending from the frame of the cross head are a plurality of block shoes 9, the number of shoes and the size thereof depending on the manner in which the available printing area of the head is to be divided into a plurality of individual blocks, as explained in said Brinton application. There must be one shoe for each individual block carried by the head. A printing block 10 is secured to the under surface of each shoe 9. Each shoe 9 is suspended from the frame of the printing head by a plurality of vertical rods 11 passing through supports 12 carried on the head frame. The upper ends of the rods 11 have cam followers13 thereon, the followers being connected to the rods through a threaded connection or joint at 14:. Major adjustments for the printing blocks can be made by setting the cam followers up or down by reason of this threaded connection. Surrounding each of the rods 11 is a compression spring 15 confined between a pin 16 passing through therod and the lower part of the frame portion 12. The function of the compression springs 15 is to urge the rods 11 upwardly and thereby normally hold the block sections 10 in a normally inoperative position. In Figure 2, two of the individual printing blocks 10 are shown. The one to the right of the figure is in the depressed or operative position. The springs 15 must be sufficiently strong to overcome the weight of the shoes 9 and the blocks 10.

Located at one end of the frame of the head is a bearing support 17 on which are carried split bearings 18 and 19. The split bearing 18 supports a cam shaft 20 and the split bearing 19 supports a cam shaft 21. The cam shafts 20 and 21 are supported in termediate the ends of the head in split bearings 22 on supports 23 located at intervals along the head. The cam shaft 20 carries a pair of cams and other cams 20 the number of cams being determined by the number of individual printing block sections on the head. The shaft 21 carries similar cams 21 As the cam shafts 20 and 21 revolve, the cams carried thereon are rotated. According to the shape and disposition of the cams on the shafts 20 and 21, one or more ofthe printing blocks 10 will be depressed at one time while the other printing blocks on the same head will remain in the normal inoperative or non-printing position.

In order to properly function in the operation of printing the cam shafts 20 and 21 must be intermittently rotated and their rotation must be synchronized with reference to the operation of the printing head on which they are carried and with reference to the rest 'of the machine. They must also be rotated at a time when the rotation will not interfere with the operation of printing, the movement of the color boxes B under the head or at a time when the block which is to print is receiving color from a color box.

. 1 It is therefore desirable to rotate the shafts 20 and 21 one step at a time upon each lifting or raising movement of the head. The intermediate or step by step rotation of the shafts is accomplished by the mechanism now 1 about to be described.

Mounted at one end of the printing head is-a supporting plate 24. Supported in bearings on the support 17 and in the plate 24 is ashaft 25. On the outer end of the shaft 25 is a disk 26 having a plurality of pins 27 projecting from one side face thereof. The pins 27' are preferably equally spaced about the disk, and if desired, may be removably carried thereon. Carried on the shaft 25 is a ratchet wheel 28. Supported on the plate 24 is a pawl 29 cooperating with the ratchet 28 for'preventing reverse movement of the shaft. Theshaft 25, as viewed in Figures 3 and 4, is preferably rotated in a clockwise t direction so that the pawl and ratchet functo the same extent byrotation of the gear 30. The gear 30 has twice as many teeth as the gears 31 so that shafts 20 and 21 make two complete revolutions to each complete revolution of gear 30.

Loosely or rotatably carried on the outer end of the shaft 25 is an actuating lever 35. The inner end of the lever 35 has a bearing 36 on the end of the shaft 25. The outer end of the lever 35 is connected with a link 37.

The other end of the link 37 is pivotally sewise secured to the bed of the machine.

cured at 38 to a bracket 39 clamped or otl i r gc upper end of the link 37 is preferably connected to the outer end of the lever 35 through an adjustable eccentric pin 40. The eccentric pin 40 has a concentric portion 41 clamped in the split upper end 42 of the link 37. On the concentric portion 41 is an eccentric extension 43 that passes through a split bearing 44 in the outer end of the lever 35. By loosening a clamping bolt 45 on the split portion 42 of the rod 37v theJpin .40 may be rotated to the desired extent, after which the bolt 45 can be tightened. By thus adjusting the position of the eccentric pin 40, the effcctive length of the link 37 can be varied to an extent equal to the eccentricity of the portion 43 of the pin. Pivotally connected to the lever 35 between its ends, is a drop link 46 having a pin 47 at its lower end. The pin 47 passes through the end of a link 48, which link is pivotally secured to the support 24 at 49. The pin 47 carries a vertically extending hook member 50. The hook member 1 50 has a hook portion 51 at its upper end, and the upper end of this hook portion 51 is clownwardly inclined at 52 so that when the head moves downwardly from the position shown in Figure 3 to the position shown in Figure 4, the hook will not catch the pins 27, but will be forced outwardly thereby, the hook riding past the pins in a manner similar to a pawl riding in one direction over a ratchet toothed wheel. The hook 51 is adapted to engage one of the pins 27 on the disk 26 when the head 7 is moved upwardly, i. e., from the position shown in Figure 4 to the position shown in Figure 3.

The operation of the mechanism may now be followed. l/Vhen the head is at the uppermost limit of its travel, the parts are in the position shown in Figure 3. When the head starts to move down to print, the outer end. of the lever 35 is held from descending by the link 37. The shaft 25 with the wheel 26, being mounted on the head, of course moves down with the head. During this downward'movement of the head, the inclined surface 52 of the hook 51 comes into contact with one of the pins 27 on the disk 26, and the hook is thrown outwardly from engagement with the pins. That is to say that the hook 50 is thrown to the right from the position shown in Figure 8. When the head has reached its lowermost position, the parts are in the position shown in Figure 4. In this position, the hook 50 with its hook portion 51 is thrown entirely out of engagement withthe pins on the disk, Due'to the provision of the ratchet wheel 28 and the pawl 29, the shaft 25 is effectively held against rotation during this downward movement of the head.

Upon upward movement of the head, the hook portion 51 on the hook member 50 engages one of the pins 27, and as the head continues to rise carrying the disk 26 up with it, the hook rotates the disk 26 a distance equal to the spacing between the pins. The rotation of the disk 26 is imparted to the shaft 25, and this in turn rotates the gear 80 to revolve the cam shafts 20 and 21. The rotation of the cam shafts revolves the respective cams thereon to effect the operation of the individual blocks 10.

It will be noted that the movement of the printing blocks 10 thus occurs always on the upward movement of the head so that when the head reaches its uppermost position the individual block sections have operated. Then when the head drops to first receive paint from the paint carriage and then to print, only the blocks which are to print will receive paint while the ones which are to be held out of printing position for a given dip of the head, will not receive paint. This prevents a block which does not print frequently from becoming choked with an accumulation of paint. It is of considerable importance therefore, to effect the operation of the individual blocks on the upward stroke of the head rather than on the downward stroke.

It will be noted that a spring 55 is provided on the link 46, which spring bears against the hook 50 for urging the hook toward the left from the position shown in Figure 4. This insures the hook portion 51 thereon making proper contact with the pin 27 to be engaged.

Upon examination of Figures 3 and 4 it will be seen that the spacing of the pins compared with the distance of motion of the head is such that when the head is down the hook reaches beyond the second pin from the one last en gaged. For instance, in Figure 4, the hook portion 51 reaches far enough to engage the particular pin marked 27 but the next pin below it marked 27 engages the hook 50 between the ends thereof and prevents the hook portion 51 from engaging the pin 27 so that the pin 27 is the one that is engaged to rotate the head and not the pin 27*. In the normal operation of the mechanism, it will therefore be seen that the disk 26 is normally advanced only the difference between the two pins with each dip of the head.

According to the present invention it is proposed that the pins 27 be removable. Considering now Figure 4 it will be seen that if the pin 27* were removed the hook portion 51 would be free to engage the pin 27* instead of being held out of engagement therewith. If the pin 27 were removed the disk 26 would therefore be advanced a distance equal to the spacing between two pins instead of the distance corresponding to the distance between adjacent pins. If every other pin 27 around the disk were omitted, it can readily be seen that the disk 26 would be revolved once in six clips of the head instead of once in twelve dips of the head, as would be the case where all twelve of the pins 27 are in position.

By omitting certain pins around the disk 26 and using suitably shaped cams, considerable variation in the operation of each individual printing block 10 on the head can be secured.

For instance, the disk 26 is shown having twelve pins. The spacing is one-twelfth circumference or 30 and the arc of motion for each step likewise 30 if all pins are in place. For practical reasons involving suitable sizes and proportions, the arc of motion of the cam points is made 60, which is obtained by having twice as many teeth in gear 30 as are in gears 31 and33. Shafts 20 and 21 will then make av full revolution of six 60 steps for each half revolution of six 30 steps of plate 26. Now if the cams 20 and 20 are so shaped as to have two lobes or points diametrically opposite, then the blocks 10 will when operated, be depressed to print once for each half revolution of shafts 20 and 21 which is every third step or print-ing cycle, and will be in non-printing position during the intervening two steps. On the other hand if the cams 20 and 20 have three lobes or points equally spaced at 120 the blocks 10 will be depressed to printing position at every other printing cycle. If two diametrically opposite pins were removed from the disk 26 each cam shaft would be revolved the same distance in ten dips of the head that they would be revolved in twelve dips if all the pins were present. By reason of the fact that the pins which are removed are diametrically opposite, there would be four regular movements followed by a fifth double movement during the one cycle of rotation of the disk 26. This would mean that the blocks 10 with a regular three lobe cam would print and skip alternately for a given number of dips of the head and then print or skip twice in succession to resume the regular alternate action after each such skipping.

' By correlating the shapes of the cams and the removal of the pins 27, a considerable degree of flexibility is secured in the printing of regular patterns and in the frequency of repeat, it being possible with only a few printing heads to print complicated patterns in many colors, or to make the distance between the repeat in the pattern being printed of considerable length.

In order to make the changing of the cams 20 21, etc, relatively easy, the shafts 20 and 21 are mounted in split bearings on the head. By opening these bearings one cam shaft can readily be substituted for another, or a shaft removed, the cams changed and the shaft replaced.

The mechanism as herein described pro- Vides a relatively simple and positive actuating means for effecting the necessary relative movement ofindividual printing blocks carried on a single cross head of a block printing machine. 7 I do not claim broadly the idea of providing a plurality of individually operable printing blocks on a single printing head as my invention, this being the subject matter of the application of William Penn Brinton, t'ler.v No. 247,319, I filed January 11'", 1928. While the mechanismshown in the said Brinton application is similar to the mechanism herein shown and described, it is pointed out in said application that the specific operating mechanism for the individual printing blocks form no part of the invention therein claimed.

lVhile I have shown and described a particular embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that various changes and modilications may be made therein under the contemplation of my invention and within the scope of the following claims.

l claim:

1. In a block printing machine, a vertically rcciprocable cross head, a plurality of separately n'lovable printing blocks on the cross head, and means on the cross head operable upon reciprocation thereof for effecting movement of said printing blocks relatively to each other.

2. A vertically reciprocable printing head for block printing machines, a plurality of independently movable printing blocks thereon, a mechanism for actuating the individual printing blocks, and means including an element on the head and a fixed second element for operating said mechanism upon reciprocation of the head.

In a block type printing machine, a vertically rcciprocable printing head, a plurality of printing blocks on the head, means for moving the blocks up and down relatively to the head including an intermittent gearing ell'ective upon upward movement of the head.

l. In a block type printing machine, a machine frame, a vertically reciprocable printing head, and a plurality of relatively movable blocks on the head and cooperating means on the frame and the head for effecting movement of the blocks upon reciprocation of the head.

5. In a block type printing machine, a machine frame, a vertically reciprocable printing head, and a plurality of relatively movable blochs on the head and cooperating means on the frame and the head for effecting 1 movement of the blocks upon reciprocation of the head in the upward direction of movement of the head only.

6. In a block type printing machine, a machine frame, a vertically reciprocable printing head, a plurality of individually movable blocks on the head movable into and out of printing position, and operating means for said individually movable blocks, comprising a ratchetlike wheel, a hook adapted to engage the wheel, and a link on the frame operatively connected with the hook.

7. In a block type printing machine, a'machine frame, a vertically reciprocable printing head, a plurality of individually movable blocks on the head movable into and out of printing position, and operating means for said individually movable blocks, comprising a ratchetlike wheel having pins forming the ratchet teeth thereof, a hook adapted to engage the wheel, and a link on the frame operatively connected with the hook.

8. In a block type printing machine, a chine frame, a vertically reciprocable printing head, a plurality of the head separately movable into and out of operative position, came for eflectingmovement of said printing blocks into and out of operative position, and means for intermittently rotating the cams including a link on the machine frame, a lever pivotally connected with said link and having a pivotal mounting on the head, whereby the lever is caused to rock upon reciprocation of the head, a toothed wheel on the head operatively connected with said cams, and means connected with the lever for engaging the toothed wheel, whereby the cams ar rotated by reciprocation of the head.

9. In block type printing machine, a ma-' chine frame, a vertically reciprocable printing head, a

printing head, a plurality of'individually.

movable blocks on the head operable into and out of printing position, cams and cam shafts for operating the individually movable blocks, and means for rotating the cam shafts upon reciprocation of the head including a variable link motion by means of which the cam shafts may be rotated to a greater or less extent upon each reciprocation of the head.

11. In a block type printing machine, a machine frame, a vertically reciprocable printing head, a plurality of individually movable blocks on the head separately movable into and out'of printingposition, rotating cams for operating the incividualblocks, and means for rotating the cams by reciprocation of the head.

12. In a block type printing machine, a machine frame, a vertically reciprocable printing head, a plurality of individually movable blocks on the head separately'movable into and out of printing position, rotating cams for operating the individual blocks,

and means for rotatin the cams and operated by reciprocation of the head a non-uniform rate.

printing blocks on:

plurality of individually movable blocks on the head movable into and out of.

13. In a block type printing machine, a machine frame, a vertically reciprocable printing head, a plurality of individually movable blocks on the head separately movable into and out of printing position, rotating cams for operating the individual blocks, and means operated by reciprocation of the head for rotating the cams with a step by step movement.

14. In a block type printing machine, a machine frame, a vertically reciprocable printing head, a plurality of individually movable blocks on the head separately movable into and out of printing position, rotating cams for operating the individual blocks, and means operated by reciprocation of the head for rotating the cams with a step by step movement, said means being variable to advance the cams through two steps with a single reciprocation of the head.

15. In a block type printing machine, a frame, a vertically reciprocable printing head, a plurality of separately movable printing blocks on the head, cams for effecting the operation of the separately movable blocks, and means for rotating the cam shafts including a disk mounted on the head having removable projections thereon, a lever connected with the head and with the frame of the machine, and a hook operated by said lever adapted to engage the projections on said disk upon movement of the head in one direction only for rotating the disk.

16. In a block type printing machine, a frame, a vertically reciprocable printing head, a plurality of separately movable printing blocks on the head movable into and out of operative position, cams for effecting the movement of said printing blocks, and means for rotating the cams in a step by step movement upon reciprocation of the head, said means comprising a disk operatively connected with the cams and mounted on the head, an actuating lever pivotally mounted on the head, a link on the frame to which said actuating lever is connected, a pivoted hook operatively connected with said actuating lever, spaced apart pins on the disk adapted to be engaged by the hook upon movement of the head with respect to the hook in one direction, said hook being adapted to ride past said pins upon reciprocation of the head in the opposite direction.

17 A machine as recited in claim 16 where in the pins on the disk are removable for imparting a variable movement to the earns.

18. A machine as recited in claim 16 wherein the link is connected with the actuating lever through an adjustable connector.

19. In a block type printing machine, a machine frame, a vertically reciprocable printing head, a plurality of individually movable blocks on the head operable into and out of printing position, cams and cam shafts for operating the individually movable blocks, a toothed wheel on the head having removable teeth therein, and means connected with the head and with the frame for operating said wheel in one direction upon reciprocation of the head, the are through which the wheel is rotated with each reciprocation depending upon the spacing between teeth on the wheel, and gearing operatively connecting the cam shafts with said toothed wheel, said gearing being designed to rotate the cam shafts twice with each complete revolution of the wheel.

20. In a block type printing machine, a machine frame, a vertically reciprocable printing head, a plurality of individually movable blocks on the head operable into and out of printing position, cams and cam shafts for operating the individually movable blocks, a toothed wheel having a non-uniform spacing between teeth on the head, means connected with the frame cooperating with the toothed Wheel for rotating the wheel upon reciprocation of the head in one direction, and a step-up gearing for transmitting motion from the toothed wheel to the cam shafts whereby the cam shafts are rotated at a greater speed than the toothed wheel.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

HARRY A. WEBSTER. 

